Leptin cDNA cloning and its mRNA expression in plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) from different altitudes on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Two Gram-staining-positive, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, aerobic, non-motile, irregular rod-shaped bacterial strains (Z350T and Z527) were isolated from intestinal contents of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) from the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, PR China. Results of phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain Z350T belongs to the genus Mumia (family Nocardioidaceae ) but clearly differs from the currently recognized species Mumia xiangluensis DSM 101040T (98.4 % similarity) and Mumia flava DSM 27763T (97.4 %). Strain Z350T had a DNA G+C content of 70.7 mol% and shared 80.4 and 76.7 % average nucleotide identity values and 23.4 and 20.6 % in silico DNA–DNA hybridization relatedness with M. xiangluensis DSM 101040T and M. flava DSM 27763T, respectively. Further phylogenetic analyses based on 497 core genes indicated that our isolates were members of the genus Mumia but separated from all existing genera within the family Nocardioidaceae . The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1 ω9c and 10-methyl C18 : 0. The cell wall contained ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diamino acid, and rhamnose, ribose and glucose as whole cell-wall sugars. MK-9(H4) was detected as the major menaquinone. Polar lipids present were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and one unidentified phospholipid. Based on distinct differences in the genotypic and phenotypic data from the two Mumia species, a novel species, Mumia zhuanghuii sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is Z350T (=CGMCC 4.7464T=DSM 106288T).

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The distribution and behavioral characteristics of plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae)

ZooKeys ◽

10.3897/zookeys.1059.63581 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1059 ◽

pp. 157-171

Author(s):

Jun Qiu ◽

Cang Ma ◽

Ying-Hui Jia ◽

Jin-Zhao Wang ◽

Shou-Kai Cao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Density ◽

Field Observation ◽

Population Control ◽

Water Source ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Behavioral Characteristics ◽

Population Densities ◽

Ochotona Curzoniae ◽

Source Distance ◽

Qinghai Tibet Plateau

Plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) are regarded as one of the main causes of the degradation of alpine meadows in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). The population density of plateau pikas is directly related to the degree of grassland damage. In this study, field observation was conducted for one week in the southeastern QTP in August 2019. A random encounter model (REM) was used to estimate the population density of plateau pikas from photographs and videos, and the frequencies of different behaviors were calculated. In addition, the effects of water-source distance and terrain on the distribution of plateau pikas and the frequencies of different pika behaviors under different population densities were explored. The observations and knowledge derived from this study provide a reference for the population control of plateau pikas.

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Effect of available burrow densities of plateau pika(Ochotona curzoniae) on plant niche of alpine meadow communities in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Acta Ecologica Sinica ◽

10.5846/stxb201305050926 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

Author(s):

贾婷婷 JIA Tingting ◽

毛亮 MAO Liang ◽

郭正刚 GUO Zhenggang

Keyword(s):

Alpine Meadow ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Plateau Pika ◽

Ochotona Curzoniae ◽

Meadow Communities ◽

Qinghai Tibet Plateau

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Gut microbiome adaptation to extreme cold winter in wild plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

FEMS Microbiology Letters ◽

10.1093/femsle/fnaa134 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 367 (16) ◽

Author(s):

Yijie Wang ◽

Rui Zhou ◽

Qiaoling Yu ◽

Tianshu Feng ◽

Huan Li

Keyword(s):

High Altitude ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Cellulase Activity ◽

Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Plateau Pika ◽

Ochotona Curzoniae ◽

Degrading Bacteria ◽

Extreme Cold ◽

Qinghai Tibet Plateau

ABSTRACT The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a harsh environment characterized by low temperature, high altitude and hypoxia, although some native mammals may adapt well to the extreme climate. However, how animal gut microbial community structure and function adapt to extreme cold climates is not well understood. Plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) is an ideal animal model with which to study the effects of climate change on host adaptation by studing intestinal microorganisms. Here, we used 16S rRNA sequencing technology combined with physiological methods to investigate plateau pika gut microbiota in summer and winter. Due to limited diet resources, the pikas in winter have a lower ability of degradation and fermentation for plant-based food (reduced cellulase activity and total short-chain fatty acids) by decreasing gut microbial diversity and some functional microbes, such as fiber-degrading bacteria Oscillospira and Treponema. Metagenomic prediction showed that most of those gene functions associated with metabolism (e.g. energy metabolism and lipid metabolism) were less abundant in winter, implying that the plateau pika slows diet fermentation and weakens energy requirements in the cold season. Our results have significance for explaining the mechanism of wild plateau mammals adapting to a high-altitude cold environment from the perspective of gut microbiome.

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